Mason&#39;s block



Nov. 5, 1968 L. A. CAPRIO ETAL 3,408,742

MASON'S BLOCK Filed June 30, 1967 41mm 4!. QMV TOM United States Patent 3,408,742 MASONS BLOCK Lawrence A. Caprio, Whitman, and Israel Nessou, Brookline, Mass., assignors to Louis M. Gerson Co., Inc., Dorc hester, Mass., a corporation of Massachusetts Filed June 30, 1967, Ser. No. 650,513 Claims. (Cl. 33-85) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A pair of masons guideline holders adapted to be interlocked for convenience in handling. Each holder of plastic is identically formed and has substantially an L-shape with the longer portion or leg of the L-shape tapered at its end and adapted to be interlocked with a recess formed in the face of the shorter portion or leg.

Background of the invention This invention relates to a masons guide line block or holder and in particular to a mating pair of such blocks or holders that are adapted to nest and interlock in pairs so as to form a unitary structure.

Masons guide line holders and their uses are known in the art and are disclosed in a number of prior patents including Patent No. 3,200,500 and other patents referred to therein. These devices are generally L-shaped elements adapted to engage opposite ends of brick walls or the like during the building thereof and are provided with means for retaining the masons guide line in a taut and level position to assist the mason in laying of bricks or the like in a proper fashion. Ordinarily these guide line holders are used in pairs. It has become common practice for building supply companies and other suppliers to provide these guide line holders free of charge to masons for advertising purposes. As pointed out in Patent No. 3,200,500 these mating pairs of blocks or holders are separately formed and because of this it is necessary to package most holders which add to the expense of this give away item. While some attempts have been made to provide mason guide line holders that are adapted to interlock in mating pairs for ease in handling, packaging and distribution, such constructions have not been altogether satisfactory.

Summary of the invention It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a masons guide line holder of simple and eflicient design which is capable of being interlocked in pairs by a novel interlock that is not likely to accidently disengage, A further object of this invention is to provide a masons guide line holder of simple design which is inexpensive to manufacture and which is capable of having imprinted thereon advertising material. A further object of the present invention is to provide a novel interlock for a masons guide line holder that is simple in construction and capable of being integrally molded.

In the present invention there is provided an identical pair of plastic mason guide line holders adapted to interlock in a substantially rigid assembly pair of holders with each holder of the pair identically formed and being approximately L-shaped in configuration, with a longitudinal portion or leg and an end transverse portion or leg projecting laterally beyond one side only of the longitudinal portion. The longitudinal portion is provided with a tapered free end and an inner face. The end transverse portion has an inner face extending angularly to the inner face of the longitudinal portion and is formed with a recess, with the recess shaped to conform and engage in a snug fit the tapered end of another holder. The end transverse portion has resilient components extending laterally on either side of its tapered end so that the holders may be interlocked with the tapered ends secured against lateral movement.

Brief description of the drawing These and other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a single masons guide line holder embodying the present invention and used in pairs for interlocking purposes, and

FIG. 2 is a plan view of a pair of masons guide line holders shown in interlocking position.

Description of the preferred embodiment Referring to the drawings there is illustrated in FIG. 1 a masons guide line holder formed of a resilient plastic such for example as polyethylene or polystyrene or some other suitable plastic. The holder is formed with longitudinal portion or leg 1 and an end transverse portion or leg 2 integrally formed in an L-shaped arrangement. The end transverse portion 2 projects laterally beyond one side only of the longitudinal portion 1 and is integrally connected to it at adjacent ends. The longitudinal portion is provided with a tapered free end generally indicated at 3. The longitudinal portion 1 is formed with opposed faces 4 and 5 extending parallel to one another and interconnected along a major portion of their length by a vertical centrally located wall 7. The wall 4 is centrally recessed or grooved along its length as indicated at 8 with the recess 8 coincident with and extending into the wider wall 7. The free or tapered end 3 of longitudinal portion 1 is provided with a vertical slot 10 that is longitudinally aligned with groove 8 so as to split the tapered end 3 into two halves adapted to be squeezed slightly together. The extreme end of the tapered end 3 is outwardly flared at its sides to form slight curved lips 11. The inner end of wall 4 is provided with an offset section 4a parallel to the main portion of wall 4 but closer to wall 5 with section 4a interconnected to the main portion of wall 4 by a web 12.

The end transverse portion 2 of the holder extends laterally from one end 14 of wall 5. This end transverse portion has an inner face 15 that extends angularly from the inner face of the longitudinal portion 1. An outer face 16 parallel to inner face 15 is continuous with and perpendicular to the same end 14 of wall 5. The inner face 15 and outer face 16 are interconnected by an end face 17. A wall 18 normal to the faces 15, 16 and 17 is longitudinally aligned with groove 8 and is recessed from the sides of walls 16 and 17. A slot 20 is formed in face 17 in longitudinal alignment with groove 8 with the slot 20 of narrower width and entirely contained in the wall 18. This slot 20 has a bottom 22 which is preferably aligned with the bottom of slot 8. A recess 25 is formed in face 15 of the end portion 2. This recess 25 is provided with sidewalls 26 and 27 and end wall 28. The height of this recess 25 is substantially equal to or slightly greater than the height of end 11. The width of the recess 25 is slightly greater than the width of end 11 at its extreme face but slightly less than the width of end 11 at its extreme flared edge 11a. Vertical grooves 30 in opposed vertical alignment are formed in the Walls 27 and 28 with these grooves designed to receive the extreme ends 11a of alike holder.

Upper face 17 is provided with a pair of lips or extensions 17a that project outwardly over face 15 with the inner surfaces of the lips 17 beveled at 17b.

The interlocking arrangement of a pair of these holders is illustrated in FIG. 2 wherein it will be noted the extreme ends 11a of the longitudinal portions are engaged in the grooves 30 of a like holder. The longitudinal portion 1 of one holder overlies or faces the longitudinal portion of holders at opposite ends of the interlocked arrangement;

The ends 11 of the holders are designed to resiliently compress when they are forced into the recess 25- a 'sufiicient amount to permit the extreme ends 11a to pass beyond face 15 to the channels or grooves 26.

What is claimed is: 1 l r p 1. An identical pair of masons guide line holders adapted to interlock in a substantially rigid assembled unit, each holderof each pair formed of resilient plastic and being approximately L-shaped and comprising a. longitudinal portion and an end transverse portion p'rojecting laterally beyond one side only of the longitudinal portion and integrally connected at adjacent ends, said longitudinal portion having a tapered free end and inner face, said end transverse portion having an inner face extending angularly from said inner face of said longitudinal portion and formed with a recess, said recesses of each block shaped .to conform and engagein a snug fit the tapered-end of said other block and with said inner face of said end transverse portion extending laterally on either side of said tapered end of said other block, whereby said blocks are interlocked with said tapered ends secured against lateral movement.

2. A device as set forth in claim 1 wherein said inner faces of said longitudinal portion and said end transverse '4 portion are formed'with longitudinally extending slots longitudinallyalignedj withcne another. f'

3. A device as set forth in claim 2 wherein said tapered end comprises a resilient locking means having a portion adjacent the extreme end of said tapered end wider than the width of saidrecess whereby said portion must be compresscdfon insertion of said tapered end into said recess ofthe .other holder 4. A device as set forth-in-claim 1 wherein saidvrecess, extends to the free end of said inner face of said end transverse portion, said end transverse portion having a wall normal to and continuouswith said recess in said inner face:"

SwA-device asset forth in claim 3 wherein said end transverse portion is formed with opposed walls normal to and continuous with said inner facerwith said opposed walls having at least one groove to receive said wider portion of said tapered end of the other holder.

- References Cited 'UNITED STATES PATENTS 845,291 2/1907 Breckenridge 33-208 1,124,310 1/1915- Harris 33---85 3,200,500 8/1965 .Stone 33-85 HARRY HAROlAN; Primary Examiner. 

